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UTV Entertainment Television, broadcasting arm of
UTV, is to launch a Bollywood entertainment
channel in mid-August. To be called UTV Stars and
targeted primarily at the Hindi-speaking market, it
will be a paid channel, confirmed company officials. UTV, which had roped in M K Anand as CEO of its
broadcasting business in 2009, has built a 75-
people content and marketing team for the new
channel in the past 15 months. Anand elaborates, “The idea is to produce most of
the shows in-house and keep programming costs
in check. That said, we would have two-three
shows sourced from third-party production houses
but those formats will be kept at a minimum.” Anand, who quit as business head of Zoom in
September 2009, is also heading UTV’s four other
entertainment channels — UTV Movies, UTV
Bindass, Bindass Movies and UTV World Movies. UTV’s Bollywood entertainment channel will
compete directly with Times Group’s Zoom TV, in
the market since 2004. “We will draw in synergies
from UTV’s motion pictures business. Our
programming will have concept shows focusing on
celebrities interacting with fans, profiles of superstars, Bollywood trade analysis and music
shows, among other formats,” details Anand. Nikhil Gandhi, recently made the business head for
UTV Stars, adds, “Our shows will bring Bollywood
celebrities closer than you have ever seen on TV.
We have a great working relationship with leading
superstars and as UTV releases close to 15 movies
every year, we will have a lot of content that can be presented to viewers first-hand.” Gandhi, who worked with Zoom Television, MTV
(Viacom 18) and Times Response (Times Group),
positions UTV Stars as “an entertainment channel
that would probably draw viewers away from
general entertainment channels”. Both Anand and Gandhi say UTV Stars isn’t just
hoping to claim share from channels such as Zoom
TV or E24. “We have the biggest Bollywood film production
studio and that gives us the edge over everyone
else. UTV releases about 15 films a year and it
automatically gives us defining content over
competition,” underlines Gandhi. UTV Stars will have to compete for eyeballs with
Reliance Broadcast Network’s Big Magic, positioned
as a regional entertainment channel for the core
Hindi heartland and featuring humour, music and
Bollywood. The channel recently clocked close to the 10-million
mark (Week 27—TAM ratings) on the back of fresh
prime time shows, doubling audience size from its
nearest competition in UP, MP and Bihar. The
channel overtook Mahuaa TV, Dabaang, Dhamaal,
Sahara Samay and Zee News UP, among others. UTV’s television segment (it includes the
broadcasting and content businesses) reported
revenue of Rs 101.4 crore in the fourth quarter of
2010-11, marking a growth rate of nearly 53 per
cent year-on-year. In the past, UTV has been able
to turn its channels profitable (at the Ebit level) in two-three years, compared to the three-four years
taken by other players and Anand believes UTV
Stars would be no different. Among its television
channels, UTV Movies, UTV Bindaas and UTV Action
have already reached break-even. The fourth, UTV
World Movies, is expected to do so in the second quarter of 2012-13, Anand claims. The Walt Disney Co holds a 32 per cent overall stake
in the UTV group and a 15 per cent share in its
television business. While ad rates at UTV Action and Bindaas have
increased by 100-150 per cent, Gandhi says the
new channel has been received by advertisers with
reasonable interest. “We haven’t begun our road
shows with advertisers but initial talks are
encouraging. A few advertisers have expressed interest to be associated with our programmes
from the time of the launch.” Targeting a 40 per cent reach in the Hindi-speaking
markets, UTV Stars is currently negotiating
distribution deals with two leading DTH (direct-to-
home) players and cable operators. UTV Stars will
be bundled with the other UTV channels on the DTH
platform in the launch phase. From Ficci-KPMG data, there should be 143 million
television households in India by 2014, of which
133 million are expected to have cable and satellite
connections. Getting the distribution network right
will be critical to UTV Star's launch, admits Anand. “We should be able to launch UTV Stars in all metros
and leading cities in the first phase, which means
signing on at least two major DTH and the top four
cable network distributors in the north, south and
west in the first phase,” he said.
Businnestandard.
UTV, is to launch a Bollywood entertainment
channel in mid-August. To be called UTV Stars and
targeted primarily at the Hindi-speaking market, it
will be a paid channel, confirmed company officials. UTV, which had roped in M K Anand as CEO of its
broadcasting business in 2009, has built a 75-
people content and marketing team for the new
channel in the past 15 months. Anand elaborates, “The idea is to produce most of
the shows in-house and keep programming costs
in check. That said, we would have two-three
shows sourced from third-party production houses
but those formats will be kept at a minimum.” Anand, who quit as business head of Zoom in
September 2009, is also heading UTV’s four other
entertainment channels — UTV Movies, UTV
Bindass, Bindass Movies and UTV World Movies. UTV’s Bollywood entertainment channel will
compete directly with Times Group’s Zoom TV, in
the market since 2004. “We will draw in synergies
from UTV’s motion pictures business. Our
programming will have concept shows focusing on
celebrities interacting with fans, profiles of superstars, Bollywood trade analysis and music
shows, among other formats,” details Anand. Nikhil Gandhi, recently made the business head for
UTV Stars, adds, “Our shows will bring Bollywood
celebrities closer than you have ever seen on TV.
We have a great working relationship with leading
superstars and as UTV releases close to 15 movies
every year, we will have a lot of content that can be presented to viewers first-hand.” Gandhi, who worked with Zoom Television, MTV
(Viacom 18) and Times Response (Times Group),
positions UTV Stars as “an entertainment channel
that would probably draw viewers away from
general entertainment channels”. Both Anand and Gandhi say UTV Stars isn’t just
hoping to claim share from channels such as Zoom
TV or E24. “We have the biggest Bollywood film production
studio and that gives us the edge over everyone
else. UTV releases about 15 films a year and it
automatically gives us defining content over
competition,” underlines Gandhi. UTV Stars will have to compete for eyeballs with
Reliance Broadcast Network’s Big Magic, positioned
as a regional entertainment channel for the core
Hindi heartland and featuring humour, music and
Bollywood. The channel recently clocked close to the 10-million
mark (Week 27—TAM ratings) on the back of fresh
prime time shows, doubling audience size from its
nearest competition in UP, MP and Bihar. The
channel overtook Mahuaa TV, Dabaang, Dhamaal,
Sahara Samay and Zee News UP, among others. UTV’s television segment (it includes the
broadcasting and content businesses) reported
revenue of Rs 101.4 crore in the fourth quarter of
2010-11, marking a growth rate of nearly 53 per
cent year-on-year. In the past, UTV has been able
to turn its channels profitable (at the Ebit level) in two-three years, compared to the three-four years
taken by other players and Anand believes UTV
Stars would be no different. Among its television
channels, UTV Movies, UTV Bindaas and UTV Action
have already reached break-even. The fourth, UTV
World Movies, is expected to do so in the second quarter of 2012-13, Anand claims. The Walt Disney Co holds a 32 per cent overall stake
in the UTV group and a 15 per cent share in its
television business. While ad rates at UTV Action and Bindaas have
increased by 100-150 per cent, Gandhi says the
new channel has been received by advertisers with
reasonable interest. “We haven’t begun our road
shows with advertisers but initial talks are
encouraging. A few advertisers have expressed interest to be associated with our programmes
from the time of the launch.” Targeting a 40 per cent reach in the Hindi-speaking
markets, UTV Stars is currently negotiating
distribution deals with two leading DTH (direct-to-
home) players and cable operators. UTV Stars will
be bundled with the other UTV channels on the DTH
platform in the launch phase. From Ficci-KPMG data, there should be 143 million
television households in India by 2014, of which
133 million are expected to have cable and satellite
connections. Getting the distribution network right
will be critical to UTV Star's launch, admits Anand. “We should be able to launch UTV Stars in all metros
and leading cities in the first phase, which means
signing on at least two major DTH and the top four
cable network distributors in the north, south and
west in the first phase,” he said.
Businnestandard.
